ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: date · fall · drill · suit · trunk · hide · saw · present

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. present — there
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. fall — the season
  5. drill — the tool
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. suit — to fit
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. present — the time now
  12. suit — clothes
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. saw — the tool
  15. date — the fruit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. fall — to drop
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. drill — a practice
  21. present — a gift
  22. suit — in cards
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. trunk — of a car

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com